Washing-machine mechanism.



H. C. DOMAN.

WASHING MACHINE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3. |916.

Patented Apr. 24,1917.

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HERTEAN C. :DGI/IAN, 0F OSHKSH, WISCONSIN.

WASHING-MACHINE MECHANISM.

Application filed April 13 To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, lflnaMAN C. DOMAN, a citizen of the United `States, and resident of Oshkosh, in the county of Winnebago and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machine Mechanisms, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machine mechanism.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a washing machine mechanism for changing a rotary movement of a driving shaft into a reciprocal movement of a pounder shaft. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine mechanism having a two part horizontally extending driving shaft and a vertically extending pounder shaft in which the parts coact to permit the easy disengagement of the two parts of the driving shaft to permit the swinging of the pounder shaft to either one of two positions. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine mechanism. having a two part driving shaft and a vertically extending pounder shaft in which a yielding connection between the two shafts performs the two fold function ofl yieldingly and operatively holding the shafts together and also to hold the two parts of the driving shaft operably and separably together.

A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine mechanism which is of simple construction, is strong and durable and is well adapted for the purpose described.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved washing machine mechanism and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

n the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of a washing machine on which the improved mechanism is mounted, part of the mechanism being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isa front detail view of the washing machine mechanism;

Specification of Letters Patent.

tion.

Patented Apr. 24, 191'?.

sel-iai No. 90,813.

Fig. e is an end detail view of one of the shafts; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the cross head and portions of the guides and pounder shaft. n

Referring to the drawing the numeral 8 indicates the tub or receptacle which is provided with a top portion 9 and a hinged cover or portion 10. The receptacle is preferably formed of metal and is of rectangular shape and the hinged cover 10 is adapted to be swung upwardly to open position to per- Vmit the removal of or the placing of clothes in the tub. Von the top and side portions of the tub is An angular bracket 11 mounted provided with an upper horizontally extending. bearing 12 and a vertically extending slotted side portion 13. A. horizontally extending driving shaft section 11 extends through said upper bearing 12 and on its outer end portion is provided with a sprocket wheel 15 and a crank arm 16. The crank arm 16 is provided for manually rotating the shaft and the sprocket wheel is used for transmitting motion to a fly wheel 17 which is journaled on a short stud shaft 18 engaging the slotted portion of the bracket 11. rllhe studshaft 18 is formed with a collar 19 which bears against the bracket on each side of the elongated slot and a nut 2O threaded on the inner end of the stud shaft and bearing against the inner face of the bracket adjustably clamps the stud shaft in posi- A small sprocket lwheel oi' pinion 21 also journaled on the stud shaft is attached to andfturns with the fly wheel and has a sprocket chain connection 22 with the sprocket wheel 15 and is driven thereby. The stud shaft and the elongated slot connection provides for taking up wear of the sprocket chain by increasing the distance between the two shafts.

The inner end of the outer section of the driving shaft 14 terminates at a point outside the path of movement of the hinged cover in swinging to open or closed position and has mounted thereon a recessed clutch member 23. The recess 24 of said clutch member is of rectangular form and is slightly tapering longitudinally with relation to the shaft to permit the easy entrancel of the complementary clutch member 25. The clutch member and the sprocket wheel also serve as collars on the driving shaft and are positioned to bear against the opposite end portions of the upper bearing 12 to prevvent endwise movement of said shaft. The

last mentioned clutch member is mounted on the outer end of a supplemental driving shaft section 26 which is in axial alinement with the driving shaft 14 and is rotated thereby. The supplemental driving shaft 26 is journaled in the upper bearing 27 of a bracket 28 which is mounted on the hinged cover or portion 10 and is moved therewith. The bracket 28 extends to a point adjacent the central portion of the cover and is provided with two upstanding guide rods 29 on which is slidably mounted a reciprocal cross head 30. A reciprocal pounder or work shaft 81 having a pounder 32 within the tub and mounted on the lower end of the shaft extends vertically7 through the hinged cover and the bracket and between the upstanding t guide rods and at its upper end is rockingly connected to the cross head 30 by a horizontally extending arm 33. The inner or hub end of the arm extends into the elongated recess 34 of the cross head 30 and the upper end portion of the pounder extends revolubly through the cross head and through the interposed hub portion of the arm and is pinned to said arm. This construction permits the arm to rock the pounder shaft while it is being reciprocated vertically. The arm 33 is of tubular form and open at its outer end and its bore 35 contains a slidable plunger 56 and a coiled spring 37 which is interposed between the rear end of the plunger and the inner end of the bore. The outer end of the plunger is provided with a part spherical recess or pocket 38 to receive the ball or spherical end 39 of the crank arm 40 which is mounted on the inner end of the supplemental driving shaft 26. `The coiled spring 37 performs the two fold function of holding the socketed plunger member 88 in engagement with the ball shaped end of the crank arm 40 and also to yieldingly hold the two clutch members operatively in engagement with each other. The distance between the complementary clutch member 25 and the arm 40 is greater than the length of the bearing 27 to permit the reciprocation of the supplemental shaft in engaging and lcgisengaging the complementary clutch memers.

The bearing 27 is formed in two parts and the space 27 between the two parts permits a washer 41 to be mounted on supplemental shaft and which washer bears inwardly against a transverse pin 42 extending through the shaft.

A clutch control push and pull member 43 slidably extending through a casing 44 covering portions of the mechanism is provided with a bifurcated wedge portion 45 on its lower end which straddles the supplemental shaft between the washer and one of the parts of the bearing 27, and when pushed downwardly forges said supplemental shaft inwardly against the pressure of the coiled spring 37 and disengages the clutch members. A. coiled spring 46 having its upper end connected to the control member holds the said control member in its upper position when the two shaft sections are in clutching engagement. The plunger 36 and the coiled spring 37 compensate for the varying distance between the said crank arm and the pounder shaft during the reciprocal and rocking movement of said shaft.

lVhile the crank handle is shown for turning the drive shaft it is to be understood that the shaft may be rotated by power means if desired.

In operation the turning of the crank arm will reciprocate and rock the pounder shaft and the iiy wheel connection will tend to steady and give a more uniform motion to the parts. lf it is desired to raise the cover of the tub it is only necessary to push downwardly on the control member to separate the complementary clutch members and the cover may then be swung upwardly to open position. After the clutch is swung to closed position and it is desired to further operate the pounder' the clutch member is pulled upwardly to permit the spring of the tubular arm to force the slidable clutch member into engagement with the other clutch member and the parts may then be operated as before by turning the hand crank.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the washing machine mechanism is of verysimple construction and is well adapted for the purpose described.

`What I claim as my invention is:

l. A washing machine mechanism, comprising a work shaft having an arm proj ecting therefrom, a two part driving shaft extending at an angle with relation to the work shaft, a crank arm mounted on the driving shaft, means operatively and detachably connecting the two parts of the' `drive shaft together, and a slidable resilient connection between the crank arm and the work shaft arm for operatively connecting said parts together and for separably maintaining the shaft parts in engagement with each other.

2. A washing machine mechanism, comprising al work shaft having an arm projecting therefrom, a two part driving shaft extending at an angle with relation to the work shaft, clutch members carried by the adjacent ends of the respective parts of the two part shaft, a crank arm mounted on the driving shaft and a slidable resilient connection between the crank arm and the work shaft arm for operatively connecting said parts together and for separably maintaining the clutch in engagement with each other.

3. A washing machine mechanism, comprising a work shaft having a tubular arm projecting therefrom, a two part driving shaft extending at an angle with relation to the work shaft, clutch members carried by the adjacent ends of the two part shaft, a crank arm mounted on the end of the driving shaft adjacent the work shaft arm, a plunger slidably mounted in the tubular arm and having a connection with the crank arm, and a resilient means carried by the tubular arm and engaging the plunger for maintaining the plunger in engagement with the crank arm and the clutch members separably engaging each other.

4. A washing machine mechanism, comprising a work shaft having a tubular arm projecting therefrom, a two part driving shaft extending at an angle with relation to the work shaft, clutch members carried by the adjacent ends of the two part shaft, a crank arm mounted on the end of the driving shaft adjacent the work shaft arm, a plunger slidably mounted in the tubular arm and having a ball and socket connection with the crank arm, and a coiled spring positioned in the bore of the tubular member and engaging the plunger for maintaining the ball and socket parts together and for maintaining the clutch members separably engaging each other.

5. A washing machine mechanism, comprising a work shaft having a tubular arm projecting therefrom, a two part driving shaft extending at an angle with relation to the work shaft, clutch members carried by the adjacent ends of the two part shaft, a crank arm mounted on the end of the driving shaft adjacent the Work shaft arm, a plunger slidably mounted in the tubular arm and having a ball and socket connection with the crank arm, a coiled spring positioned in the bore of the tubular member and engaging the plunger for maintaining the ball and socket parts together and for maintaining the clutch members separably engaging each other, and means for disengaging one clutch member from the other.

6. A washing machine mechanism, comprising a vertically extending work shaft having a tubular arm projecting therefrom, a two part horizontally extending drive shaft, one of said shaft parts having an endwise movement and a shouldered portion, clutch members mounted on the adjacent end portions of the shaft ends to operatively and separably connect the shaft ends t0- gether, a crank arm mounted on the endwise movable shaft part and having a ball like end portion, a plunger slidably mounted in the bore of the tubular arm and having a rounded socket in its outer end portion into which the ball like end of the crank arm extends, a coiled spring mounted in the bore of the tubular arm and engaging the plunger for maintaining the plunger in engagement with the ball end of the arm and also for maintaining the clutch members in engagement with each other, and means for engaging the shouldered portion of the shaft part to disengage one clutch member from the other.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HERMAN C. DOMAN.

Copies of this patent may liey obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

